Jets befuddled after fifth loss in row, answers not coming

Updated Oct. 11, 2020 7:38 p.m. ET

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Coach Adam Gase seemed to be searching for the right words after the New York Jets dropped their fifth straight game to start the season, and not finding them.

It seems as if there are no answers for the Jets (0-5) at this point and their 30-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday was the latest example.

The Jets’ defense allowed Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to gain 496 yards and score touchdowns on drives of 96, 89, 75 and 70 yards.

Jets backup quarterback Joe Flacco and the offense generated one touchdown and were miserable on makeable plays, failing three times on third-and-1 and once on fourth-and-1 with the game up for grabs early.

Even when the Jets got within 17-10 in the third quarter, they quickly gave up two touchdowns, including one where Murray and running back Kenyan Drake combined on a 31-yard pass-action play on a fourth-and-1 from the Arizona 39. Drake later capped the drive with a 1-yard run.

Gase admitted being somewhat befuddled by the horrible start to the season, the third time in franchise history the Jets have started 0-5. The only team to start worse was in 1996 when that group went 0-8 en route to a 1-15 mark.

It’s a distinct possibility his job is on the line. New York opened last season 0-4 before winning.

“I’m watching these guys put the amount of time and effort and try to do more and try to get things fixed,” Gase said. “We get to 17-10 and end up losing the game. It’s frustrating for all of those guys in there. We have to come back to work tomorrow. We have to pull together, watch the film, and learn from it. We have to go out and have a good week of practice and adjust how things are (and) try to find a way to win a game.”

Flacco, who got his first start since the middle of last year with Denver, said the players are not pointing fingers. However, they also are not happy losing every week.

“We’ve played five weeks now and we haven’t won a game,” he said. “I think you can guess what the level of frustration is in the locker room, but that’s why this game is played at this level by grown men and we have to look ourselves in the mirror and keep our heads up and do the same thing with each other.”

The Jets had their chances. They moved from their 8 to the Cardinals 13 and were stopped for no gain on third and fourth downs. Le’Veon Bell was stuffed on the last down in his first game back from a hamstring injury.

Still down 7-0 on the ensuing Cardinals’ series, Avery Williamson intercepted a pass tipped by fellow linebacker Neville Hewitt and returned it 21 yards to the Cardinals 10.

The Jets came on the field and were hit with a delay of game penalty before the first snap.

“I felt like it was one of those where we broke the huddle and got up to the line and it didn’t seem like we were — I lost track of the time,” said Flacco, who was 18 of 33 for 195 yards.

The Jets ended up settling for a field goal, but that pretty much summed up their game and season.

“I definitely don’t feel any finger-pointing and things like that going on,” said Flacco, who threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jamison Crowder. “I think we’ve got a good group of guys, we’ve just got to kind of look ourselves in the mirror and believing we can get the job done.”

NOTES: Bell gained 60 yards on 13 carries. He was taken off IR on Saturday. .... With Sam Darnold out, Mike White was elevated from the practice squad and served as Flacco’s backup. .... Receiver Jeff Smith was targeted 11 times and had three catches for 23 yards. He also dropped a pass on a third-and-1 on the Jets’ opening series. ... CB Pierre Desir led the Jets with 11 tackles, one more than Hewitt.

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